OCC dance squad wins national championship

Orange Coast College’s 13-member dance squad stole the show at the

national cheerleading championships, becoming the first community college

team to compete in and win the division 1A dance championship.

The Pirates earned the national championship on Jan. 12 at the

Universal Cheerleaders Assn. National Championships in Florida.

The OCC dancers moved up two divisions this year to compete in

Division 1A and ended up beating the best university dance teams in the

country to win this year’s competition, said Jim Carnett, director of

community relations.

The 26-member cheer squad also placed second in the Community College

Cheerleading Division.

OCC currently has at least 20 former members of its squads cheering or

dancing at four-year universities.